Key Points

Addressing students at Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Agricultural University, Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), he stated in a press release, "I know that sometimes one must keep certain matters of the heart unspoken. There are challenges that, due to systemic reasons or other factors, are often left undiscussed. But when it comes to farmers, I do not follow that norm. Be it the pain of farmers or paths to improve their lives--suggesting them is my foremost duty, and sharing their concerns with you is essential."

Recalling a speech he delivered in Mumbai, he said, "Keeping this in mind, I had once said at an event organized by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research in Mumbai--'It is our duty to embrace the farmer.' We must never deceive the farmer under any circumstances. The pain of the farmer should not have to be explained by the farmer--we must be able to sense it ourselves. We must be extremely sensitive toward the welfare of farmers, and that is when I emphasized--we must engage in dialogue with them."

Appreciating the government's efforts in initiating conversations with farmers, he remarked, "The most essential element of a democracy is expression and dialogue, which our Vedas refer to as Anantavad (endless discussion). But in the case of farmers, any negligence or diplomacy in communication is unacceptable."

"I am very pleased that your former Chief Minister and current Agriculture Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, is handling this wonderfully. He has sensed the pain of the farmers and initiated an ongoing dialogue. I have no doubt in my mind now that discussions with farmers will continue, and farmers will come to understand the excellent and positive policies of the Government of India--something that has never happened before," said Dhankhar.

Urging that subsidies for farmers be linked with inflation, he said, "Farmers receive indirect assistance, which we refer to as subsidies. But the first point is that any support given to farmers must be linked to inflation. The Rs 6,000 given per year--it remains the same today. Any economist will tell you that the purchasing power of Rs 6,000 when it was introduced is no longer the same. The Prime Minister has factored in inflation when revising the salaries of legislators and MPs, so why not when supporting farmers? Assistance provided to farmers must also account for inflation."

Emphasising the need for Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in fertiliser subsidies, VP Dhankhar said, "In the United States, all aid provided to farmers is given directly, not through intermediaries. Just like we have the PM-KISAN scheme in India, the Indian government also spends heavily on fertilizer subsidies. It is now a matter for both reflection and research--if the same money were transferred directly to farmers, then each farmer household in India could receive at least Rs 30,000 per year. This amount must be given directly to them. Currently, when the government provides fertilizer subsidies, the farmer does not truly feel their impact. We must ensure direct transfer of subsidies to farmers."

Underlining the importance of farmers participating in the value addition chain to improve their income and standard of living, Dhankhar stated, "A farmer's life can only change when the farmer becomes prosperous. The children of farming families must enter new fields of work related to agriculture. Today, the largest business in the country is agricultural trade. Just look at the enormous scale of agricultural marketing--there are mandis, there are middlemen. Financially, it is an astronomical figure. But is the farmer a stakeholder in this? No. The farmer has been reduced to being just a producer. We must change this mindset. Producing and selling immediately is not a prudent decision."

"I appeal to you--please transform the farmer from being a mere producer to becoming an Agripreneur--an agriculture entrepreneur. That's what I call an Agripreneur. When the farmer takes part in the trade and sale of their produce, they will receive a fair share of the profits. Another point--the foundation of the agro-industrial sector is agricultural produce, but the farmer remains far removed from it. Why? Why shouldn't the farmer add value to their product? This is something we must reflect upon. Today, the government has adopted highly positive policies... now the farmer must step forward," he emphasised.

Encouraging students to work toward solving the problems faced by farmers, he said, "You must also work on some of the challenges that farmers face. One major challenge is that of perishable agricultural produce--products that do not have a long shelf life."

On this occasion, Governor of Madhya Pradesh Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and other dignitaries were present.

- ANI